Oscillating motor



June 13, 1933. H. G. BLOSSER 1,913,826

' OSCILLATING MOTOR Filed Oct. 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Shack l INVENTOR. H.Q,B/0sscr,

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June 13, 1933.- H. G. BLOSSER 1,913,826

OSCILLATIIi G MOTOR Filed Oct. 9, 1929 ZSheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented June 13, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mun G. nrossna, or rr'rrsnuaen, rnmtsirnvuim, ASSIGNOB 'ro mm omen.

swrron a SIGNAL COMPANY, or swrssvamc, rmmsnvama, a ooaromrron OF PENNSYLVANIA OSCILLATING MOTOR Application filed October a, 1929. Serial No. 358,341.

My invention relates to oscillating motors, and particularly to oscillating motors comprising a contact and means for periodically operatin said contact.

One 0 ject of my invention is to rovide an oscillating motor which will intermittently open and close an electric circuit at a constant predetermined frequency, and which will operate on either unidirectional or alternating current.

I will describe two forms of oscillating motors embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. l is an isometric view, showing one form of an oscillating motor embodying my invention, certain of the parts being broken away to more clearly illustrate the construction. Fig. ,2 is a view showing, in side elevation, a modified form of a portion of the oscillating motor shown in Fig. 1, and also embodying my I invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in all three views.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the oscillating motor, designated in general by the reference character R, comprises, in the form here,

- shown, a rockshaft A which is journaled at lation of the shaft.

its ends in suitable bearings 1 and 1, ball bearings being preferred because of the low frictional resistance which they offer-"to oscil- The bearings 1 and 1' are mounted in the opposite ends of a housing B, provided with a top late 2 of bakelite or other insulating material. The housing B and the top plate 2 completely enclose the operatin parts of the oscillating motor and prevent dirt or other foreign material from coming into contact with these parts.

The rockshaft A is biased to one position by a pendulum 3 and by a spiral spring 4..

The pendulum 3 may have any suitable form, but in the form here shown, comprises a I pendulum bob 3" attached, by means of a metal rod 3, to f a hub'3. The hub 3" is provided with an opening 3, extending horizontally thereth'rough, from one side to the other, which opening receives the rockshaft A. A set screw 3', screwed through the hub into engagement with "the rockshaft, fastens the pendulum to the rockshaft. A threaded vertical post 3, supported by the hub 3", carries two counterweights 3' and 3, by means of which the period of the endulum may be re ulated within certain limits. no end of the spring 4 is riveted to the rockshaft A, while the other end is riveted to a bracket 5 attached to the end of the housing B. The spring 4 is riveted to the rockshaft in such a position that, when the rockshaft occupies the position in which the pendulum' 3 is vertical, the spring is under very little or no stress, but that, when the rockshaft is rotated from this position in either direction, the spring is flexed. It will thus be seen that the spring 4 aids the pendulum 3 in biasing the rockshaft to the position which the rockshaft occupies when the pendulum 3 is vertical, which position I shall term the normal position.

The rockshaft A may control any number of contact mechanisms. onlv two of which,

.1) and E, are illustratedin Fig. 1. The contact mechanism D, in the form here shown, comprises two spaced parallel strips 6 and 7 of suitable electrical conducting material, such for example, as phosphor bronze. The stri s 6 and 7 carry low resistance contact bloc s 6" and 7 respectively, and are attached, respectively, to terminal posts 18 and 19 mounted on the top plate 2. The lower end of strip 6 is arranged to be at times engaged by a pin 20 projecting from the side of a cam 20 carried bv the rockshaft A. The cam 20 is of insulating material, and is provided with a set screw 20 by means of which the cam may be ri idly fastened to the rockshaft in any desire position. It will be ap arent from an inspection of the drawings t at, when the rockshaft A occupies its normal position, the contact block 6 enga the contact block 7 to close contact 6*- but that when'the rockshaft is rotated in a clockwise direction through a predetermined distance from the normal position, the pin 20 engages the strip 6 and bends this strip sists of an electromagnet C ha posts 21, 23 and 22 mounted on the top plate.

2. The strip 12 is located between the strips 10 and 11, and has riveted to its posite sides near its lower end. two con ucting pieces 13. The upper ends of the pieces 13 are bent away from the strip 12 and each carries a low resistance contact block 13'. The contact blocks 13' coact with twd similar contact blocks and 11'. attached respectively to the strips 10 and 11. The lower ends of the pieces 13 are also bent outward- 1y to form a channel 14 which receives the end of a pin 8 extending horizontally from the side of a cam 8. The cam 8 is similar to the cam 20, and is fastened to the rockshaft A by means of a set screw 9. With the contact mechanism E constructed in this manner it will be apparent that, when rockshaft A occupies its normal positions contacts 10-13 and 11'-13 are open, when rockshaft A tends to oscillate at the natural period ofthe endulum 3. The rockshaft A, however, and the parts attached thereto have a certain amount of balanced mass which broadens the tuning of the s stem. It is desirable that the tuning should be as sharp as ible, and in order to accomplish this result, I tune the balanced mass of the system to resonance at the natural period of the pendulum 3 by meansof the spiral ring 4. As previous- 1 pointed out the spring 4 is under very little or nostress when ndulum 3 occupies its vertical position. t will be apparent, therefore, that when rockshaft A is rotated from its normal position in either direction, s ri 4 becomes stressed and stores up the kinetic energy of the balanced mass, so that o the when the direction of rotation of the rockshaft reverses, this ener is returned to the shaft. I have found t 'at with the parts arranged in this manner, the frequency of the oscillating system will remain constant shaft A is rotated from the normal position over a wide variation in tem rature and through a predetermined distance in a clockwise direction, contact 11' 18 becomes closed; but that, when rockshaft A is rotated from the normal position 1150:?! a predetermined distance in a counter ockwise direction, contact 1O' --13 becomes closed.

The oscillating motor also comprises a motor device for oscillating the shaft A. In the form here shown, this motor device 006- a shaped core 16 provided with a win 17 having terminal leads 27 and 27". The electromagnet C is fastened to the 'base of the housing B by means of brackets 24 and screws. 25, and controls an armature to" idly fastened to the rockshaft A between e legs of the core 16. The angular disposition of the armature 15 with respect to the shaft A is suchthat, when the shaft occupies its normal position, the longer axis of the armature is inclined vertically at. an acute angle with the magnetic field which is set up between the legs of core 16 of electromagnet C when electromagnet G. is ener- The' supply of energy to winding 17 of electromagnet C is controlled by the contact mechanism D. To this end, lead 27 is connected with terminal post 18, and lead 27' is connected with terminal post 26. A source of electromotive force, here shown as a battery 61, is connected with the terminal posts ,19and26throughaswitch62. ltwillthus beap rent that if switch 62 is closed, windingl willbesupliedwithcurrentwhen contact 6"7 is osed, but that the supply ofcurrenttowindin'gflwillheinterru when this contact is opened.

When rockshaft A is oscillated to and .fro

- by the electromnet C ,in the manner which will be expla' in hereinafter, the

over wide variations in the v0 tage applied to the electromagnet C; a

It should be pointed out that if the pendulum 3 were completely counterbalanced by means of nuts 3' and 3', so that there would be no' unbalanced mass the system would still be substantially tuned to resonance by the spiralspring, and the system would sti have a sharp resonant response at a particular frequency.

Y As shown in the drawings,.switch 62 is open so that winding 17 of electromagnet O is de-energ'ized. Rockshaft A therefore occupies its normal position, and spring 4 is between the legs of core 16. These flux lines thread the armature 15, and as will be readily understood, exert a force on the armamm which rotates the armature, and hence the rockshaft A in a clockwise direction. The parts of contact mechanism D are arranged in such manner, that when rockshaft A has rotated in a clockwise direction to approximately the position at which armatum-15 is parallel. with the field between the legs of core 16, pin 20 engages stri 6 and opens contact 6 --7'. Winding 17 t n' becomes die-energized, but the rockshaft A continues to rotate in a clockwise direction until the kinetic energywhich the rotating parts have aeqvugi ied is spent in deforming the spring 4. en this has been done, the energy stored in spring 4 and in pendulum 3 reverses rockshaft A, so that rockshaft A now rotates in a counter-clockwise erate the rockshaft.

\ wardly from a conducting block '31.

tact 6'*-7 a in becomes closed and winding 17 there ore a ain becomes energized. Due, however, to t e inductance of winding 17, the field between the legs of core 16 builds up slowly, and since rockshaft A is now rotating in a counter-clockwise direc-' tion, by the time the field has built up to its normal value, armature 15 is inclined at such an angle with the field that the electroma net has little retarding effect on the roc shaft A durin this counter-clockwise rotation. When t e rockshaft A reaches its extreme counter-clockwise position, the energy stored in spring 4 and in pendulum 3 causes the rockshaft to again rotate in a clockwise direction. Electromagnet C then again exerts a force on rockshaft A tending to accel- The arts are so arranged and so pro ortioned that the ener y supplied to the roc shaft during this cloc wise rotation is greater than that expended in overcoming friction and other losses dur ing this clockwise rotation and the previous counter-clockwise. rotation to ether with that ex' nded in overcoming 't e opposin force 0 the magnetic pull on armature 1 during the prevlous counter-clockwise rotation, so that the rockshaft starts to oscillate at the period to which it is tuned by the pendulum 3 and the spiral spring 4. The rockshaft will then continue to oscillate at this (period as long as switch 62 remains close It should be pointed out that the oscillating motor B may be operated on either unidirectional or alternating current. 1 When it is desired to operate the oscillating motor on alternating current, the core 16 and armature 15 may both be laminated. It will be apparent that when rockshaft A is oscillating contacts 10*-13" and 11 --13 are alternately opened and closed at the frei uency of oscillation of the rockshaft A. base contacts may be used to control any desired circuits.

Referrin now to Fig. 2, I have here shown necte with the pin 20 by means of a conductor 28. (lo-operating with pins 20 and 20 is a conducting strip 29,.the lower end 29 of which is bent into a cylindrical sha around a pin 30. The pin 30 is carried y two spaced projections 31" extending e block 31 may be fastened to the housing B in an suitable manner, insulation being provide between the block and the housm to prevent electrical contact between the b ock V and housing. A- sprin 32 enga es the top of the block 30 with hot ends an 7 wardly against the cylindrical end 29' of nism D are t presses -up-- the strip 29 with considerable force by means of a centrally curved portion 32' so that the friction between the spring and the strip will hold the strip 29 in any position to which it may be moved until positively moved from that position. When this form of contact mechanism D is used, the lead 27 from the winding 17 instead of being connected with the terminal post 18, is connected with the conductin block 31 in any suitable manner. The remaining parts of the contact mechae same as in Fig. 1, as will readily be apparent from inspection of the drawings. I

The operation of the oscillating motor when the modified form of contact mechanism D shown in Fig. 2 is used is as follows: When the pendulum 3 is at rest the parts of the contact mechanism D occufiy the positions in which they are shown in 1 2. f, now, switch 62 is closed, current ows from the battery 61 through terminal post 19, strip 7, contact 6" stri 6, pin 20, conductor 28, pin 20, conductin strip 29 conducting block 31, lead 27, coil 17, lead 27, terminal post 26, and switch 62 back to the battery 61. A torque is therefore exerted on rockshaft A by armature 1 5, and the rockshaft is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow a in Fig. 2. When the shaft has lum 3 and the spring 4. Pin 20 then moves out of engagement with the strip 29, and the pin 20 subsequently en ages the strip, so that the circuit for win ing 17 of electromagnet C is now open at pm 20. The pin 20 remains out of engagement with the strip as long as the counter-clockwise rotation of the rockshaft in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow (1 continues. It follows, therefore, that no energy is supplied to shaft A during the rotation of the shaft in the latter direction in spite of the fact that contact 6"-7' becomes closed as soon as the shaft has rotated to the position at which the contact 0 ned. The strip 29, however, ro-

tates on t e in 30 in response to the rotation ing the time when the force is eflective to maintain the operation of the motor. It follows that with the contact mechanism D shown in Fig. 2, a considerable saving of power results.

While I have shown only two forms of contact mechanismsfor controlling the supple; of current to winding 17 of electro-magnet ,it will be readily understood that any other form of contact mechanism which is operated in accordance with the position of rockslaaft A, may equally well be employed.

It will thus be seen that I have provided an oscillating motor which will operate at a constant redetermined frequency.

An oscifiating motor embod ing my invention is particularly suitable or, although in no way limited to, use for riodically 1nterrupting, or coding, at pre etermined frequencies, the current which is at times supplied to the track rails in certain forms of' railway traflic controlling systems. In systems of the type described, te coded current thus supplied to the rails controls train carried governing means, which are selectively responsive to these currents in any suitable manner.

Although I have herein shownand described only two formsof oscillating motors embodying m invention, it is understood that various 0 anges and modifications may be made thereinwithin the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of myeinvention.

I Having thus descri d my invention, what I claim is:

1. An oscillatory motor comprising a rock shaft mounted to oscillate about a horizontal axis, a avity pendulum attached to said rocksha and biasing said rockshaft to one position, a contact responsive to the position of said rockshaft, an electromagnet controlled by said contact, an armature attached to said rockshaft and cooperating with said electromagnet for oscillating said rockshaft; said contact, said electromagnet and said armature bein so designed that said rockshaft will be osclllated at the natural period of said pendulum; and a sprin for tuning the balanced mass of the .oscil atin parts to resonance at the natural period 0 said ndulum, said spring being connected with said shaft in such manner that said shaft is biased by said sprin to the same position to which it is biase by said endulum, whereby if said spring breaks said motor may still be made to oscillate at substantially the natural period of said pendulum.

An oscillatory motor comprising a rockshaft mounted-"to oscillate about a horizontal axis, a ravity pendulum attached to said rocksha to oscillate in a vertical plane in response to oscillation of said rockshaft and ranged to become opened when and only when said rockshaft is rotated away from said one positionmore than a predetermined distance in one direction, electromagnetic means .for oscillating said rockshaft controlled by HERMAN G. BLOSSER.

its

I lie biasing said 'rockshaft to one position, a contact controlled by said rockshaft and arits 

